Iron status parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatic iron deposition is common in patients with chronic hepatitis C [HCV] and may play a role in progression of liver disease. Aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of iron overload and to study the relationship between hepatic iron concentration [HIC] and clinical, biochemical and histological characteristics in chronic HCV-infected patients. Patients presenting with anti-HCV and HCV-RNA were included. Hepatic iron concentration was determined in liver tissue by colormetric assay. The association between HIC and age, gender, transaminases [AST and ALT] levels, iron and serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, HCV-RNA level, grading of inflammatory activity, staging of fibrosis, hepatic steatosis, and stainable iron was analyzed. Statistical analysis included the Mann-Whitney test and a multiple linear regression model. 48 patients [58% male] with a mean age of 44 +/- 10 years were studied. Serum iron, ferritin and transferrin saturation were elevated in 27%, 25% and 12.5% of patients respectively. Stainable iron was detected in few patients [16.6%]. Higher grades of stainable iron [2 and 3] were observed in only 6.25%. The HIC >30mmol/g dry weight] was elevated in three patients [6.2%]. Neither grading nor staging were related to HIC. Higher HIC were observed in male patients [p <0.001], in patients with elevated serum ferritin [p = 0.001] and in patients with stainable iron [grade 1; p =0.001]. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that only stainable iron was independently correlated with HIC [p = 0.003]. Iron overload in chronically HCV-infected patients was uncommon and hepatic iron content seemed not to be related to the liver damage process. In the eventuality of iron overload, histochemical liver iron is a useful marker to estimate HIC

Influence of intrapartum chemoprophylaxis on the incidence and identification of vertically transmitted neonatal sepsis

The purpose of the present work was to detect the influence of the use of intrapartum chemoprophylaxis on the incidence of vertically transmitted neonatal sepsis. One hundred and fifty pregnant women at labor with risk factors of delivering an infant with neonatal sepsis were selected from patients attending the labor ward at El Shatby Maternity University hospital. The studied women were divided into two groups according to whether they received intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis or not. For every case, complete sheet was recorded; complete general and local examination was done to detect PROM and chorioamnionitis and maternal high vaginal swab was obtained and cultured for detection of GBS colonization. One hundred and fifty four infants were born to these mothers and were tested for signs of sepsis through clinical examination, complete laboratory investigations including complete blood count, urine GBS latex agglutination test, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood culture, and lumbar puncture in blood culture positive infants. The overall incidence of neonatal sepsis in the present study was 16.9%. Group II infants showed a higher incidence of sepsis. As regards GBS colonization, 30 women [20%] had a positive high vaginal swap for GBS. Two GBS carrier mothers delivered infants who developed neonatal sepsis, but caused by other organisms. GBS Organisms isolated from the septic infants were mainly gram-negative organisms and staphylococci. With the exception of 6 cases of E-coli, all other isolates were ampicillin resistant, giving an ampicillin resistance of 76.9%. Most organisms with the exception of staphylococci showed gentamicin sensitivity that might explain the lower incidence of sepsis in group I

Low temperature bleaching of flax fibres with peracetic acid

Water retted grey flax fibers were bleached with activated peracetic acid atlow temperatures. Peracetic acid was prepared in situ by perhydrolysis of aceticanhydride with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of sodium tetraborate. 2,2'-Bipyridine was used to form trischelate complex with Fe2+ ions naturallypresent in the fibers. The Fe2+ -bipyridine complex activates the bleachingprocess. Sodium dodecyl sulfate was used as a stabilizer to peracetic acid. Optimum bleaching formulation and bleaching conditions were studied. Theeffect of pretreatment of grey flax fibers on its accessibility towardsactivated peracetic acid bleaching was also studied